Can I obtain Italian citizenship?
Yes, via the route for your situation. Italian citizenship can be obtained in several ways. By residence (naturalisation): generally after 10 years of legal, continuous residence for non-EU citizens, 4 years for EU citizens, 5 years for stateless persons and refugees, with adequate income and no disqualifying record. By marriage or civil union with an Italian citizen: after 2 years of residence in Italy (or 3 years if resident abroad), halved if there are children. In both cases, knowledge of Italian at least at B1 level is required. Citizenship by descent (iure sanguinis) was restricted by the 2025 decree (D.L. 36/2025), limiting automatic recognition to within the second generation.
📋 The rules
- By residence: ~10 years (non-EU), 4 years (EU)
- Stateless persons and refugees: 5 years
- By marriage: 2 years in Italy (3 abroad), halved with children
- Italian B1 required
- Iure sanguinis restricted by D.L. 36/2025
🔓 Exceptions
- Descendants beyond the second generation: limits introduced in 2025
- Income requirements and no disqualifying criminal record
- Duty, for those recognised iure sanguinis, to keep a civic link over time
⚠️ Penalties & fines
These aren't "sanctions": the application can be rejected if the residence, income, language requirements are missing or there's a disqualifying record, or shelved if documentation is incomplete. False declarations in the procedure are serious and can lead to loss of citizenship obtained by fraud. Processing times can be long. It's best to carefully prepare the documentation (residence, income, language certification) and, in complex cases (iure sanguinis, dual citizenship), get assistance. The 2025 changes made the descent route stricter.
📎 Official sources
- Ministry of the Interior · Italian citizenship →
- Normattiva · Law 91/1992 (citizenship) →
- Normattiva · D.L. 36/2025 (urgent citizenship provisions) →
❓ Frequently asked
How many years of residence are needed for citizenship?
Generally 10 years of legal, continuous residence for non-EU citizens, 4 years for EU citizens and 5 years for stateless persons and refugees. Adequate income, no disqualifying criminal record and knowledge of Italian are also needed.
Can I get citizenship by marriage?
Yes. After 2 years of legal residence in Italy as a spouse or civil partner of an Italian citizen, or 3 years if residing abroad. The terms are halved if there are children. Knowledge of Italian at B1 level is also required in this case.
Do I have to know Italian?
Yes. For citizenship by residence and by marriage, knowledge of Italian at least at B1 level of the European framework is required, to be proven with a specific certification, except in exempt cases (e.g. those with Italian qualifications).
What changed for citizenship by descent?
The 2025 decree (D.L. 36/2025, converted into law) restricted iure sanguinis recognition, limiting it broadly to descendants within the second generation and introducing stricter conditions. Those claiming Italian descent must check the new rules.
How long does the answer take?
Processing times can be long. The application can be rejected if requirements are missing or shelved if documentation is incomplete. It's best to carefully prepare all documents (residence, income, language certification) and, in complex cases, get assistance.
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